Midnight Awakening (Midnight Breed 3)

"Jesus Christ."

He broke into Irina's town house and attacked us. I took care of it.

You took care of it, Tegan said darkly. What happened? Did you fight with the son of a bitch? Did you kill him?

I don't know. We didn't wait around to find out.

She took the glass of water away from Irina, who wasn't drinking much anyway, and set it down on the floor. Are you able to stand up now? she asked the woman, her voice caring and concerned. When the Breedmate nodded, Elise took her under the arm and helped her to her feet. We're going to walk you to another room where you can rest, all right? Allow me, Reichen said, smoothly moving in and taking Irina's slack weight onto himself. He gingerly guided her out of the foyer, toward a pair of open double doors off the grand entrance.

When Elise started to follow them, Tegan reached out and caught her by the hand. Elise. Wait.

Given little choice, she paused. Then she blew out a slow sigh and turned to face him. I really don't need your disapproval right now, Tegan. I'm exhausted, and I want to get out of these awful clothes. So, if you plan on lecturing me, it's going to have to wait--

He pulled her to him and she fell silent as his arms went around her in a fierce embrace.

He couldn't let go. He couldn't speak. His chest was constricted with an emotion he didn't want to acknowledge, but could hardly deny. It wrenched him, pressing like a vise around his heart.

Ah, fuck.

Elise might have been killed today. She'd managed to get away, sure, but she'd been in serious danger with that Minion and there was always the very good chance that things would end badly.

He might have lost her while he slept. When she'd been out of his reach, and he'd been unable to protect her.

The thought hit him hard.

So unexpectedly deep.

All he could do right now was hold on to her. Like he never wanted to let her go.

Elise had expected anger from Tegan. Perhaps arrogant male censure. She couldn't have been more shocked to feel his arms holding her tight. Good Lord, was he actually trembling?

She stood in the warm, strong cage of his embrace, and felt some of her edgy tension begin to break. The bone-deep fear she'd refused to let herself feel until now started to pour into her limbs. She leaned into Tegan's welcome strength, bringing her hands up to rest against the hard muscles of his bare back, her unhurt cheek lying on the smooth plane of his chest.

There are some papers, she finally managed to say. Petrov Odolf 's brother wrote a bunch of letters. I thought they might be important. That's why I went out to see Irina.

I don't care about that. Tegan's voice was thick, vibrating against her ear. His fingertips pressed into her shoulders as he brought her away from him and stared down into her eyes. That gem- green gaze was penetrating, so intensely serious. Jesus Christ, I don't care about any of that right now.

It could mean something, Tegan. There are some strange verses...

He shook his head, scowling now. It can wait.

He reached out and wiped at an apparent smudge on her chin. Then he tilted her face up to his. He stared at her for a long moment before he kissed her.

It was brief and tender, filled with a sweetness that robbed Elise of her breath.

Everything else can wait for now, he said quietly, a dark ferocity in his voice. Come with me, Elise. I want to take care of you now.

He led her by the hand, out of the foyer and up the main staircase to her guest room on the second floor. She walked inside with him, paused as he turned to close the door behind them. He glanced down to where her packed bag sat on the floor. When he looked back at her, there was a question in his eyes.

I had been planning to leave Berlin today. I was going to go back to Boston.

Because of me?

She shook her head. Because of me. Because I'm confused about a lot of things, and I'm losing focus on what matters. The only thing that should matter--

Your vengeance.

My promise, yes.